3-pointers: Takeaways from the Rockets' Game 5 win

Rockets fans celebrate at the end of Game 5 of an NBA first round playoff series at Toyota Center, Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle )

Photo: Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle

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Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) walks under confetti after the Rockets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-104 in Game 5 of a playoff NBA basketball game at Toyota Center, Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in ... more

Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) walks under confetti after the Rockets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-104 in Game 5 of a playoff NBA basketball game at Toyota Center, Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle ) less

Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

The Rockets needed to be tested and they were. They were not playing the Warriors. They did not face the Thunder storm that shocked the Jazz on Wednesday. But they were pushed. They faced a team with obvious strengths, multiple All-Stars and far greater credentials than most eighth-seeded teams.

The Rockets needed to raise the level of their play to eliminate the Timberwolves in five games. It might have been the best thing for them.

The Rockets will not be able to wait around to "flip a switch" as the playoffs progress. It's really not that easy. When they did that against the Timberwolves, they demonstrated what is possible.

They did not match Monday's 50-point third-quarter with Wednesday's second-half burst, but they outscored the Timberwolves, 30-15 in the knockout punch third quarter of Game 5. James Harden did not outscore the Wolves in that stretch as he did on Monday, but he matched their 15 points.

The Rockets were not their best from tip to buzzer as they often were against the Wolves in the regular season. But when they were at their best, they were sensational, moving on to the second round rapidly, with room to improve and with glimpses of what they can be.

1. The Rockets had only bursts of their best. The second quarter in Game 2. The third quarters in Games 4 and 5. That won't be enough to score knockouts in the later rounds, though not coincidentally, that's a typical Warriors thing. Let up for a few minutes, miss some good shots and teams look up to find themselves down 15. But for now, the Rockets might have gained something along with the five-game series win.

Their offense has built back towards what it was when it was it was rolling in the regular season. When they eased up late in the season, the offense lost some of its energy. They could still work the clock and go one-on-one to enough good shots and wins. But other than the blowout of the Wizards and the season-ending Vipers takeover in the loss to the Kings, the Rockets averaged 98 points in the other final five games of the season.

They began the post-season averaging 103.7 in the first three games against the Timberwolves. In Games 4 and 5, they scored 119 and 122. They hit at least 15 3-pointers in four-consecutive games, matching the NBA playoff record, including 18 on 40.9 percent shooting on Wednesday. They attacked more quickly, reading the defense and either moving the ball rapidly or driving decisively. There had been times early in the series that James Harden seemed to be searching. In the final two games, he did not have to. He knew what was there and how to get it.

The Rockets did not have everything working, but they didn't need that. Chris Paul missed all eight of his 3s on Wednesday, but P.J. Tucker and Trevor Ariza combined to make 9 of 14. Tucker made just one 3-pointers on Monday. He made a career playoff high five on Wednesday. Eric Gordon slumped in the first three games of the series, but made 11 of 25 shots, scoring 18 and 19 points in the final two wins.

The Rockets can do better than that, but they had gotten back to where they had been before slipping late in the season. Their execution was so good they had just 42 turnovers in the series, two more than the fewest ever in a five-game series. They had just five (including the intentional shot clock violation to finish the game) to match the franchise record.

They returned to the sort of team that always finds a hot hand somewhere and solves each defense somehow. That won their first-round series and will be key to whatever comes next.

2. Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni did not quite say Clint Capela is the best center in the NBA, but he made the point that meant as much to the Rockets and that Capela had demonstrated throughout the series. The Rockets center is the best, D'Antoni said, at doing what the Rockets need.

They don't ask him to catch with his back to the basket and go to work. Karl-Anthony Towns does that and is outstanding at it. He is far more likely to have 56 points in a game, as he did in the regular season, than Capela. They don't ask Capela to do everything as the Pelicans ask of Anthony Davis, though no team would mind having a guy with that kind of ability.

The Rockets ask Capela to play with indefatigable energy. They need him to protect the rim, rebound, block shots and finish at the rim. They need him to catch every sort of pass James Harden lobs or fires in his general direction.

Those are talents that might require the good fortune to play with Harden and Chris Paul, but are about much more than that. In a match up with one of the league's best centers, Capela averaged 15.8 points on 67.3 percent shooting with a league-leading 14.2 rebounds and two blocked shots. In his own way, Capela has given the Rockets a big three.

Towns was a deserving All-Star, but the next challenge will be tougher. Oklahoma City's Steven Adams might be the NBA's strongest player and has improved greatly as a finisher while remaining a beast on the offensive boards. Utah's Rudy Gobert can be considered the NBA's best defensive player.

Capela has to be a force against either of them. Last season in the first round against the Thunder, he often needed Nene to step up and carry a load for him. When Nene was hurt, the Rockets missed him desperately. Against the Wolves, Nene was a counter punch. Capela was a star, and everything the Rockets needed him to be.

Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) consoled by James Harden (13) after being separated from Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jamal Crawford in the second half of Game 5 of a playoff NBA basketball game at Toyota Center, Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

3. Barely two weeks ago, the Rockets' concern was with the balance between rest and rhythm. They gave players nights off, but tried to keep them on the floor enough to keep them sharp. That did not quite work out. The Rockets, having played for so long with nothing at stake, were not sharp. They got much of that back through the series.

Now, they might have to find that balance again, but this time, it is unquestionably a good thing to have time to catch their breath. They hope to have a long playoff run. Starting with a long first-round series would not help that. They don't play the Warriors, who also advanced in five games, or the Pelicans, who won in a sweep, in the next round, but they surely have looked in their general direction.

While the Rockets finished off the Timberwolves on Wednesday, the Thunder rallied from a 25-point deficit to send that series back to Salt Lake City. Whenever the Thunder or Jazz get to Houston, they will have one day between each round of the playoffs.

The Rockets can take Thursday off, practice for a couple days and start the second round on Sunday (if the Jazz win on Friday). If the Thunder force a Game 7, the Rockets will have to wait until Tuesday. But about the only thing more exhausting than a seven-game series against the disciplined offense and tough defense of the Jazz is a seven-game series against the relentless energy of Russell Westbrook and brute strength of Steven Adams of the Thunder.

When the Rockets watch them clash on Friday, they can be reminded of how important taking care of business on Wednesday was. They had won a playoff series in consecutive years for the first time since 1996 and 1997. But with aspirations considerably greater, they did it quickly enough to have time to get ready for what will come next.

Jonathan Feigen has been the Rockets beat writer since 1998 and a basketball nut since before Willis Reed limped out for Game 7. He became a sports writer because the reporter that was supposed to cover the University of Delaware basketball team decided to instead play one more season of college lacrosse and has never looked back.

Feigen, who has won APSE, APME and United States Basketball Writers Association awards from El Campo to Houston, came to Texas in 1981 to cover the Rice Birds, was Sports Editor in Garland before moving to Dallas to cover everything from the final hurrah of the Southwest Conference to SMU after the death penalty.

After joining the Houston Chronicle in 1990, Feigen has covered the demise of the SWC, the rise of the Big 12 and the Rockets at their championship best.